Breath of Life

Read Ezekiel 37:1-14. Sunday's text. [If you can't get your hands on a Bible right now, click the Scripture reference and read it on BibleGateway.com .]

Then he said to me, "Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. ..."

Ezekiel 37:11 ESV

And I wonder... Do we know we're dead? Just a bunch of dried bones?

Then Rev. Stephenson calls this passage a powerful prophecy, one that comes in the wake of God's question to Ezekiel:

Can these bones live?

The answer: Yes --- if they are filled with the Spirit of God.

Behold, I will open your graves and raise you from your graves, O people. ... 

And I will put my Spirit within you, and you shall live...

Ezekiel 37:12, 14 ESV

Through Ezekiel, we hear the the gospel prophesied --- proclaimed.

Then he said to me, "Prophesy to the breath... say to the breath,

Thus says the Lord God: Come from the four winds, O breath,

and breathe on these slain, that they may live."

So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them,

and they lived and stood on their feet, an exceedingly great army.

Ezekiel 37: 9-10 ESV

The promise of the Spirit-filled life, making us an exceedingly great army for the Kingdom of God, is the one we have complete access to through Jesus's life, death, and resurrection.

Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus

were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism

into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead

by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.

Romans 6:6 ESV

Newness of life...by the power of the Spirit. 

Are you living it? This new life? Am I?

Where in your life are you choosing to live by your flesh? Following your natural desires and the things that make you comfortable?

Where are you living by the Spirit? Where are your eyes so focused on Jesus and your ears so attuned to His call on your life that you give no thought to self?

What causes fear, anger, irritation? The results of walking in the flesh.

Where do you find joy, satisfaction, peace? The fruit of a Spirit led life.

Will you join me in asking God to breathe life into the places where we are bone dry? 

As individuals and as a corporate body?

Because according to the preaching... 

God will act on our behalf so we will know God is able!

Thank You Jesus for the good news of new life in You.

Thank You for sending Your Spirit to live in us that we might truly live!

Show us where we walk in the flesh, fill us with a desire to repent,

and the faith to walk in the Spirit in every area of life.

Come Holy Spirit! Come!